Early morning pre-workout snack?

acirema_qc

Hi, I read you should eat a snack about an hour before working out. I work out at home so I try to have a protein bar first thing then get ready to workout (eliptical). Am I messing myself up by not waiting 45-60 minutes before working out? It's just a few minutes between my eating the protein bar and my being ready. I get up at 6am to workout and that gives me just enough time to get myself and the kids ready for the day. Advice world be greatly appreciated.

ovidnine

Don't sweat it.

Would it probably be "ideal" to have 45-60 minutes? Sure, but its not going to make a big difference for you and you certainly aren't messing yourself up.

mbaker566

I wouldn't worry about it. I would think 30 min would be fine, but if you find it works for you, why change?

I work out fasted. I don't like eating before I run, yoga i do eat right before class

jacksonpt

If it's not negatively impacting your workout (upset stomach, that sort of thing), then I wouldn't worry about it.

Sam_I_Am77

If you're eating real food, then you need about 90-minutes. Things like Gatorade, some nutrition bars, pop-tarts, can be eaten a little bit closer to your training time, like 30-60 min.

giantrobot_powerlifting

IDK, but for me, since I've fasted all night (and all night for me is 5 hours in bed) I need to eat. Something. Going into the gym mornings without a snack on an empty stomach just doesn't work. I'll even snack on a protein bar if my pre-workout snack wasn't enough. I feed as soon as I get up and coffee -- which all takes place about 30-40 minutes before I get into the gym.

Sam_I_Am77

nakedraygun wrote: »

IDK, but for me, since I've fasted all night (and all night for me is 5 hours in bed) I need to eat. Something. Going into the gym mornings without a snack on an empty stomach just doesn't work. I'll even snack on a protein bar if my pre-workout snack wasn't enough. I feed as soon as I get up and coffee -- which all takes place about 30-40 minutes before I get into the gym.

I'm the same way. My performance sucks in the morning if I go in fasted. Even my deload workouts will suck. I'll have a whey shake, 2 pop-tarts, teaspoon of creatine, and 100mg caffeine pill and I'm ready to go crush weights....

... after I warm-up and do 30-minutes of mobility work so my hips actually work after sleeping. LOL

giantrobot_powerlifting

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

IDK, but for me, since I've fasted all night (and all night for me is 5 hours in bed) I need to eat. Something. Going into the gym mornings without a snack on an empty stomach just doesn't work. I'll even snack on a protein bar if my pre-workout snack wasn't enough. I feed as soon as I get up and coffee -- which all takes place about 30-40 minutes before I get into the gym.

I'm the same way. My performance sucks in the morning if I go in fasted. Even my deload workouts will suck. I'll have a whey shake, 2 pop-tarts, teaspoon of creatine, and 100mg caffeine pill and I'm ready to go crush weights....

... after I warm-up and do 30-minutes of mobility work so my hips actually work after sleeping. LOL

Your deloads suffer without a snack? What... are you asleep for 15 hours?

I get about 15-20 minutes mobility, rolling and stretching (usually with a band) before I get under the bar so about an hour as lapsed since I pulled my butt out of bed.

Nice food ramp btw!

Sam_I_Am77

nakedraygun wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

IDK, but for me, since I've fasted all night (and all night for me is 5 hours in bed) I need to eat. Something. Going into the gym mornings without a snack on an empty stomach just doesn't work. I'll even snack on a protein bar if my pre-workout snack wasn't enough. I feed as soon as I get up and coffee -- which all takes place about 30-40 minutes before I get into the gym.

I'm the same way. My performance sucks in the morning if I go in fasted. Even my deload workouts will suck. I'll have a whey shake, 2 pop-tarts, teaspoon of creatine, and 100mg caffeine pill and I'm ready to go crush weights....

... after I warm-up and do 30-minutes of mobility work so my hips actually work after sleeping. LOL

Your deloads suffer without a snack? What... are you asleep for 15 hours?

I get about 15-20 minutes mobility, rolling and stretching (usually with a band) before I get under the bar so about an hour as lapsed since I pulled my butt out of bed.

Nice food ramp btw!

15? I'd be thrilled with 8 any more. I judge much of what I do not just by weight but by bar speed and stability of movement as well. You compete, so I'm sure you're along the same lines and my bar speed tends to be poor when I'm fasted.

giantrobot_powerlifting

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

IDK, but for me, since I've fasted all night (and all night for me is 5 hours in bed) I need to eat. Something. Going into the gym mornings without a snack on an empty stomach just doesn't work. I'll even snack on a protein bar if my pre-workout snack wasn't enough. I feed as soon as I get up and coffee -- which all takes place about 30-40 minutes before I get into the gym.

I'm the same way. My performance sucks in the morning if I go in fasted. Even my deload workouts will suck. I'll have a whey shake, 2 pop-tarts, teaspoon of creatine, and 100mg caffeine pill and I'm ready to go crush weights....

... after I warm-up and do 30-minutes of mobility work so my hips actually work after sleeping. LOL

Your deloads suffer without a snack? What... are you asleep for 15 hours?

I get about 15-20 minutes mobility, rolling and stretching (usually with a band) before I get under the bar so about an hour as lapsed since I pulled my butt out of bed.

Nice food ramp btw!

15? I'd be thrilled with 8 any more. I judge much of what I do not just by weight but by bar speed and stability of movement as well. You compete, so I'm sure you're along the same lines and my bar speed tends to be poor when I'm fasted.

I would be thrilled with 6! Just that my deloads hover around 50% and its not very challenging which why I either cramp all deloaded lifts in one session, or break it out into two: push/pull.

Funny thing about bar speed, I could sleep really well and still get about 300 - 500 calories consumed before training and still have a less than stellar session. At least with eating prior, it's one thing I can check off as not a possible cause of bad performance, bar speed or otherwise.

aarar

I usually eat a full breakfast then head right out the door to run. As long as it doesn't affect your stomach while you're working out, I'd say don't worry about it. I personally can't be active on an empty stomach.

jemhh

I don't eat before exercising in the morning unless I am running more than 50 minutes or if there is an hour or more gap between waking up and working out. I normally roll out of bed, drink a bunch of water, and start my workout. Do what feels best to you.

Sam_I_Am77

jemhh wrote: »

I don't eat before exercising in the morning unless I am running more than 50 minutes or if there is an hour or more gap between waking up and working out. I normally roll out of bed, drink a bunch of water, and start my workout. Do what feels best to you.

You're an animal. I know how you lift and I don't understand how you do it. I've tried it before and I suck, good for you.

Willbenchforcupcakes

If it works, don't change it. I can eat directly (as in less than a minute) before starting my warmup and do just fine. It takes me about 30 minutes to go from startin my warmup to hitting my first work set. And admittedly, all my cardio is of the "light aerobic conditioning" variety.

BrianSharpe

Given the short time between eating & working out pretty much none of the nutrients will be available for use unless it contains some simple/high GI carbs too. But if it gives you a mental boost and doesn't cause an upset stomach why not......